Interview with Author – Jeana E. Mann

About Jeana E. Mann:
Jeana E. Mann is the author of sizzling hot contemporary romance. Her debut release Intoxicated was a First Place Winner of the 2013 Cleveland Rocks Romance Contest, a finalist in the Carolyn Readers’ Choice Awards, and fourth place winner in the International Digital Awards. She is a member of Romance Writers’ of America (RWA).
Jeana was born and raised in Indiana where she lives today with her two crazy rat terriers Mildred and Mabel. She graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Speech and Hearing, something totally unrelated to writing. When she’s not busy dreaming up steamy romance novels, she loves to travel anywhere and everywhere. Over the years she has climbed the ruins of Chichen Iza in Mexico, snorkeled along the shores of Hawaii, driven the track at the Indy 500, sailed around Jamaica, ate gelato on the steps of the Pantheon in Rome, and explored the ancient city of Pompeii. More important than the places she’s been are the people she has met along the way.
Be sure to connect with Jeana on Facebook or follow along on Twitter for the latest news regarding her upcoming releases in the Felony Romance Series and Pretty Broken Series.

What inspires you to write?
I can be inspired by the smallest things. Sometimes it’s a snippet of conversation I might catch while walking on the street. Music is a great inspiration for me. Whenever I feel blocked, I put on a good love song and let my imagination run wild. My friends are all paranoid, thinking they will end up in my next book.

Tell us about your writing process.
I am a reformed “pantser”. My debut novel, Intoxicated, was the effort of five years work. The rough draft was over 700,000 words long. That’s a lot of writing! It took two years to whittle it down to the published version you see today. My second book took a year. Other more successful authors kept telling me that speed and efficiency are paramount to a successful career, so I took a few classes on plotting and outlining. Now I take an idea, make a rough outline of the chapters, and then I let my imagination run wild. I like to think of myself as a plotting “pantser” these days. I think it’s working. I’ve written and published five books this year while working a full-time job.
I like writing off the cuff. The unexpected twists and turns are why I enjoy writing. I feel a bit of outlining is necessary to keep my on track, but in general I like to wander.

For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
When I get deep into the final draft of a book, I get obsessed with the characters. They haunt my sleep and my daydreams. They become real to me. I think that’s a necessary part of the process. If I can hear them speaking and visualize their actions, it becomes simple to put them into words on paper.

What advice would you give other writers?
Read, read, read! Reading feeds your brain and fuels your creativity. You can learn so much from other writers. I like to read anything and everything from children’s books to science fiction. If I find a book that particularly appeals to me, I will read it three or four times–the first couple of times for enjoyment and then I pick it apart on the subsequent readings to see how the author conveyed his/her story so well.
And don’t forget to write. I feel like my writing ability is a muscle. The more I write, the stronger I become. I set a minimum word count for myself every day (currently 2000 words/day) and I stick to it no matter what. Sometimes I get up at 4 AM to squeeze in writing time before work. Other days I may stay up until 2 AM to make my goal. It’s a commitment to my work. I’ve found on the rare occasion that I skip over my writing ritual, it becomes more and more difficult to get the words on the page and I end up with writer’s block.

How did you decide how to publish your books?
I decided to self-publish for two reasons. First, I submitted Intoxicated to several publishers. They all enjoyed the book but said the subject matter was too questionable (mental illness, drug addiction, broken marriage). Second, I was shocked to learn it could take as long as two years to put out one book. I’m not a patient person. I like immediate gratification. With self-publishing, I can release books quickly and in accordance with my own schedule. I also have control over cover art, editing, and marketing.

What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think it’s anyone’s game at this point. I believe self-publishing is on the rise and has a great future. The quality of indie books continues to get better and better. We’re seeing more breakout authors topping the NYT lists without the help of a publishing house. I think there will be lots of changes in the future regarding traditional publishing. I’m eager to see what happens. I hope both worlds can exist together and benefit each other. For myself, I would like to become a “hybrid” author with both traditional and indie books under my belt.

What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers